During the last meeting of the members of Strada del Barolo it has been presented the 2016 programme of activities, which involves numerous confirmations and some interesting innovations, including the production of new illustrated tourist maps for the territory promotion, the website integration with the possibility to buy online services and tourist packages, the launch of the mobile version for smartphones and tablets and the creation and marketing of new specific services for wine lovers. Also events to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Strada del Barolo will be organized.

Events and entertainment activities on the territory

Sunday, 1st May 2016 – Treasure Hunt on the Barolo Trail. The traditional event, organized in collaboration with Turismo in Langa, the city of Alba and the municipalities involved, returns: the three routes, that the different teams will follow, twist and turn along the hilly territory of Langhe. The teams, some 400 participants took part in this adventure last year, can participate by car or motorcycle to search for the many clues that will lead them to the “final treasure.” As usual, the routes will start from the centre of Alba, and will touch different facilities associated with Strada del Barolo, ending in the historic centre of Castiglione Falletto, the heart of the Barolo region.

Saturday, 28th May 2016 – Io, Barolo. Another very welcome confirmation for lovers of the “King of Wines” scattered around Italy and the world: the producers of Strada del Barolo present the 2012 vintage of Barolo to the public in the beautiful setting of the Castle of Roddi, with unlimited tasting of over 30 different labels. In Piazza Umberto I visitors will have the opportunity to taste other great wines of Langa, to pair with traditional dishes of the territory. Furthermore, during the entire evening, it will be possible to visit the rooms of the Castle of Roddi with the guides of the association Turismo in Langa. This year, for the first time, it will be possible to purchase tickets in advance on the website www.stradadelbarolo.it.

October 2016 – Rendez-vous on the Barolo Trail. Successfully tested in 2014 and 2015, the initiative is also confirmed for 2016: an entire weekend dedicated to wine lovers and to all Langhe enthusiasts, who will have the opportunity to visit the wineries, meet the producers and taste their wines. The restaurants of Strada del Barolo will propose specific menus with traditional Langhe dishes. Castles and museums will be open for guided tours, and, for these two days only, packages and special discounts will be available in the accommodation facilities!

Wine Tasting Experience®

Having become, over the years, a must-see event for hundreds of wine lovers visiting Langhe, the Wine Tasting Experience®, original tasting format devised by Strada del Barolo, continues in 2016 with an initial schedule of events planned for Spring and Autumn, in conjunction with the main events organized in Alba; Vinum and the Truffle Fair. For the new season, Strada del Barolo is also working on some important innovations; such as the assignment of a single location and the strengthening of promotion and marketing.

Following the example of the French Ecole Du Vin, appointments go beyond the traditional wine in a wine cellar, especially for the opportunity to compare labels from different producers at one appointment. Added value for wine lovers is the presence of territory experts capable of explaining the secrets of the wines and satisfying any curiosity: the “teachers” are in fact producers, oenologists or skilled sommeliers.

Talking about wine: online and offline

The website www.stradadelbarolo.it is a showcase of excellence for the territory and for all members who have access to a page with geo-location on an interactive map, photo gallery, service details and a detailed description of the activities. The site also features in-depth sections on territory, wines and gastronomic products, as well as tours and tourist packages that soon will be possible to book and purchase directly on this platform. The mobile version, that will be implemented in 2016, will make all these contents easily accessible also via smartphones and tablets, thus widely improving the website accessibility.

Parallel to the site, the online promotion activity continues through the “social channels” Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, with a daily update of the profiles and through advertising campaigns that are able to attract a wide audience of users interested in wine and Langhe.

Aiming at giving visibility to member companies also outside Italy, in 2016 Strada del Barolo wants to propose again to foreign journalists the educational tours already tested in 2014 and 2015 in cooperation with the consortium of promotion I Vini del Piemonte.

Activities of Destination Management

With the purpose of attracting to the associated facilities an increasing number of tourists from all around the world, Strada del Barolo will make use, again in 2016, of the TripAdvisor page which collects reviews from users who have visited the area, the monthly newsletter sent to a database of 10,000 wine lovers and journalists all around the world and the press office activity and tourism promotion carried out during the international events organized by the consortium I Vini del Piemonte in countries like Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland.

Aimed at strengthening the image of the territory, there is also the production of new tourist promotion maps, which has been entrusted to a successful illustrator and will become the “business card” of Strada del Barolo outside Italy.

Strenghtening partnerships

The collaborative relationships started during these years with boards and institutions connected with the wine, food and tourist sector will be, of course, confirmed and improved. These organizations include Ente Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba, Associazione produttori Nas-cetta di Novello, Unione di Comuni Colline di Langa e del Barolo, WiMu, Enoteca Regionale del Barolo, territory wine shops, organizations connected to the top quality food productions such as Parchi del Ducato di Parma e Piacenza, Consorzio per la Tutela del formaggio Robiola di Roccaverano D.O.P. and Strada del Riso vercellese di Qualità, and finally, with other wine areas and trails in Italy and Europe, as, for example, Strada del Vino Franciacorta and Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino.